The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Police

  • Family accuses police of ‘incessant harassment’

    A Lagos family has gone to court to restrain the police from infringing on its right.

    The Okunu-Eleku family of Oko Olomi village in Gboije, Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos, is praying that the police be stopped from interfering in “a minor family dispute”.

    It claimed that the police have abdicated their statutory constitutional responsibilities to dabble into family matters. The family is urging the court to compel the police to prosecute one of its members, Madam Toyin Awawu –Eleku, for constantly giving false information to the police about principal members of the family.

    Applicants in the suit with number FHC/L/CS/104/15 filed on behalf of the family by the law firm of Paul Bamidele Ogundele are agent to the family, Mr. Femi Bakare Otolono, Chairman/CEO of Otofemi properties, Chief Tajudeen Eleku, Chief Segun Eleku, Alhaji Abdul Rahman Balogun and Mr. Lateef Eleku.

    The family alleged that on the strength of Madam Eleku’s petitions, many family members were arrested and detained and released on bail after investigation vindicated them.

    The case, it claimed, had gone from Elemoro Police Station, to Area Command at Ajah, State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) , Panti, Yaba Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS),  Ikeja, to X – Squad at Fire Criminal Investigation Department (FCID), Alagbon, Lagos, Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Monitoring Squad, Abuja and Lagos State Task Force at Alausa, Ikeja.

     

  • Police arrest fake Mopol officer

    A man, Stephen Akinsiku, has been arrested by the police in Ondo town for allegedly parading himself as a mobile police officer.

    Sources said he was arrested during the funeral of his father in-law.

    Before his arrest, a lady and her brother had lodged a complaint of fraudulent allegation against the suspect at the Office of the Area Commander.

    It was learnt that a bag containing mobile police uniform, boots, pistol, torch and a knife was recovered from him.

    Another man, Daniel Ogunmoyewa, claimed that the suspect sold a  land, belonging to someone else, to his late mother, Mrs. Grace Adedeji, at N160,000.

    He said: “Akinsiku sold a plot of land to my late mother a few years ago, but when she died and we wanted to bury her on the land, some members of his family told us that Akinsiku was not the owner of the land and that somebody else had been buried there.”

    Ogunmoyewa said we got  information last week that he was in town and went to  Oke-Odunwo to demand for our money.

    “When we got there, the suspect, dressed in mobile police uniform, brought out a gun and started shooting sporadically.

    “We went to the Area Commander in Ondo to lodge a complaint, then the police followed us and arrested him. It was discovered that he is a fake mobile police, “Ogunmoyewa said.

    It was gathered that the suspect had confessed. Police spokesman Wole Ogodo confirmed the report.

  • Police summon Ondo PDP lawmakers to Abuja

    Police summon Ondo PDP lawmakers to Abuja

    The lawmakers representing Ilaje I and II in the Ondo State House of Assembly, Malachi Coker and Abayomi Coker, have been summoned to the Force Headquarters, Abuja.

    This followed their resumption and swearing in without certificates of return from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

    The duo escaped arrest last Wednesday when police detectives stormed the premises of the Election Petition Tribunal, Akure.

    It was gathered that the lawmakers were covered by “immunity” in the court. Sources said the Speaker, Princess Jumoke Akindele, mobilised other lawmakers to intervene in the matter.

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) candidates for Ilaje I and II, Gbenga Edema and Leke Adegboye, had petitioned the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Solomon Arase.

    They urged the IG to probe the alleged impersonation and unlawful swearing-in of Akinruntan and Malachi by the Assembly Clerk.

    It was learnt that the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Segun Agbaje, had declared elections in the two Ilaje constituencies as inconclusive due to alleged irregularities.

    Consequently, INEC did not give certificates of return to the two members-elect on May 5 when it presented certificates to 24 members-elect.

    A June 8 petition by Charles Titiloye on behalf of the APC candidates noted that the Clerk confirmed the writ of returns and roll call of the 26 members-elect on June 1 with Akinruntan and Malachi as No 6 and 20 on the attendance list.

    The petition reads: “We are aware that for a member-elect to be sworn-in as a lawmaker, the presentation of certificate of return should be a pre-condition in compliance with the Electoral Act.

    “Based on this fact, we sought clarification from INEC on whether the certificates of return have been issued to the two lawmakers as at June 4 and INEC replied the second day that no certificates of return were issued in respect of the two members-elect.

    “It is instructive to note that Section 75 of the Electoral Act 2010 makes issuance of a certificate of return mandatory for any person who has won election in Nigeria before he/she could be sworn in.

    “Section 99 of the 1999 Constitution states that any person who sits or votes in a House of Assembly knowing or having reasonable grounds for knowing that he is not entitled to do so shall be guilty of an offence and shall upon conviction be liable to a term of imprisonment.”

    The petitioners urged the IG to probe the fraudulent move and demanded justice to facilitate the anti-corruption crusade of the Buhari administration.

    Edema yesterday confirmed that he was on his way to Abuja.

    It was learnt that the Clerk may also be quizzed by the police.

  • Ebonyi: Police foil cult initiation of students

    Ebonyi: Police foil cult initiation of students

    Ebonyi State Police command Tuesday foiled initiation of forty-six graduating students of a popular mission secondary school (name withheld) in Izzi local government area of Ebonyi State.

    The students just concluded writing their National Examination Council (NECO) and are said to be members of a cult group identified as Junior Vikings.

    They had gathered at a hotel in the metropolis located along old Enugu Road to be initiated into a senior group known as Senior Vikings when police swooped on them following a tip-off.

    As the initiation lasted, the police stormed the venue leading to the arrest of over fifteen of the students while the initiators flee.

    Police spokesman, DSP Chris Anyanwu said the initiators had dangerous items which he said they arranged for the initiation, adding that the police have mounted man-hunt to arrest the fleeing suspects.

    He explained that the initiators who are members of the Senior Vikings mandated the graduating students who dressed in white hats, red shirts and black trousers to be initiated into the senior team or be ready to face difficult condition in their lives.

    Anyanwu who regretted that cult activities have increased in the state in the last few months, announced that the command will embark on sensitization campaign to various schools in the state to enlighten the students on the need to shun cultism.

    He noted that if not checked, cultism can lead to violent crime like armed robbery and kidnapping, describing it as a societal problem.

    The spokesman revealed that the command has arrested a kingpin of a popular cult group in Ikwo local government area of the state.

    Therefore they will get out of the streets once the governor fulfils his promises.

  • Court awards N100m against police for woman’s death in custody

    The police are to pay N100million damages to the family of a victim who died in custody, Justice Mohammed Idris of the Federal High Court in Lagos held yesterday.

    The late Mrs. Patricia Onyeabo died in detention last May 16 after being accused of involvement in a Nigerian Railway Corporation N1billion pension scam.

    Onyeabo, a former NRC Secretary/Legal Adviser died about four weeks after the police detained her for the alleged fraud.

    Her daughter, Amaka, filed a fundamental rights enforcement action and sought damages for her mother’s death.

    The judge held that the police denied the deceased access to medical treatment while in custody.

    He said had the late Onyeabo been allowed access to her doctor and medications, she probably would not have died.

    “I hold that the Nigeria Police have failed in their responsibility. The applicant had a right to life and dignity of human person but was denied them while in the custody of the police, thereby leading to her life being terminated.

    “If she was allowed access to the hospital, she would not have died. The police denied her the opportunity to visit the hospital for the treatment of her ailment,” Justice Idris held.

    The deceased and others were being investigated over the alleged mismanagement the NRC workers’ contributory pension scheme.

    They were said to have been initially detained at the Nigerian Railway Police Command in Ebute-Meta, Lagos, before being transferred to the  Federal Criminal Investigation Department in Abuja.

    Onyeabo was said to have died about five days after being transferred to Abuja.

    Her daughter, through Chief Anthony Idigbe (SAN), claimed N1billion for general and aggravated damages over the “unlawful detention, harassment and intimidation of the applicant’s deceased mother.”

    Idigbe claimed that the police violated the deceased’s fundamental rights to life, dignity of human person, personal liberty, freedom of movement and fair hearing as guaranteed by sections 33, 34, 35, 36 and 46 of the 1999 Constitution.

    The monetary damages claimed, Idigbe said was meant to compensate for the pain caused Amaka over the “continuous deterioration of the applicant’s deceased mother’s health until her very painful and very premature death.”

    The damages, the lawyer added, was for the “complete degradation, loss of reputation and goodwill of the applicant’s deceased mother’s family name built by sheer hard work, and the collective shame and ostracism suffered by the entire Onyeabo family as a result of the lawless and abusive acts of the respondents.”

     

  • Police: we’ll arrest Iyaloja’s killers

    Police: we’ll arrest Iyaloja’s killers

    The police in Ogun State yesterday gave an insight into why they were yet to arrest suspects in the killing of the Iyaloja of Ijebuland, Alhaja Sadia Elewuju.

    The Command said it wants its investigation team to complete its job first before arresting any person or group connected with the killing.

    Elewuju was hacked to death last Wednesday by suspected six-man assassin who stormed her Itonrin-Molode-Sabo, Ijebu – Ode, house when her male workers went to the market. She was 82.

    The Commissioner of Police, Abdulmajid Alli, at the weekend, visited her home and vowed that her killers would soon be arrested.

    He added that the Command would carry out thorough investigation.

    Police spokesman Olumuyiwa Adejobi yesterday said the command is looking in “many directions and angles” to have a firm grip of what might be both the motive for the killing and insight into likely suspects.

    Asked if the police are looking in the direction of any simmering succession struggle as a motive, Adejobi said the investigators would leave no “angle” unexplored in their bid to get to the root of the matter.

    Last week, the police spokesman told reporters that people suspected to be “hoodlums” attacked the octogenarian leaving her in a pool of blood.

  • Police recover remains of Bayelsa pipeline explosion victims

    Police recover remains of Bayelsa pipeline explosion victims

    The Police in Bayelsa State said yesterday that they have recovered the remains of victims of Thursday’s crude oil pipeline explosion which occurred in Agip’s field in the state.

    Twelve people died in the explosion which occurred while Agip staff were carrying out routine maintenance on Tebidaba-Clough line, in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of the state.

    Two persons are still missing according to the police.

    Spokesman for the State Police Command, Mr Asinim Butswat, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Yenagoa that search and rescue efforts for the missing persons had been activated, but yet to yield any result.

    He said: “twelve persons were burnt beyond recognition, which included a soldier on guard duty amongst others.

    “Four persons were rescued alive and are undergoing treatment, while two persons are still missing. Search for the missing persons is ongoing,” Butswat said.

  • Police nab member of eight-man robbery gang

    Operatives of the Lagos State Police Command have nabbed a member of an eight-man robbery gang that unleashed terror on the residents of a  Federal Housing Estate at  Ojokoro area of Lagos State during the week.

    The hoodlums stormed the estate at about 3am and carted away money, jewelries, phones, laptops and other valuables.  They also inflicted various degree of injuries on their victims.

    Narrating his ordeal, one of the victims said: “ I heard a deafening noise outside and I tried to find out what was going on. They continued hitting the security door  with a sledge hammer. When I inquired to know who they were, they told me to keep quiet, saying  with all boldness that they were armed robbers. They said they only needed my money. Without hesitating, I gave them all that I had on me.They wounded one of my daughters who was lying face down. They hit her with a saw.”

    Another victim  who simply identified herself as  Mrs. Uko  alleged that the robbers came from a neighbouring estate  into theirs, adding:  “They scaled the fence and entered our house.  They carried guns, saws, iron and wooden rods. They hit my window and asked me to open the door. Initially I did not want to open the door for them but when they started cutting the protector to come in through the window I told them to stop and allow  me open the door for them.

    “I opened the door and saw eight of them. I wanted to scream and run but they held me and asked me not to shout and to go back to the room. They collected my money, phones and jewelries . Thereafter, they  broke into my neighbours apartment. The breadwinner immediately  gathered his family and ran into one of the rooms and locked themselves.

    “The robbers ran after them and and broke the man’s head using the butt of their gun and robbed the family of their valuables.

    The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) DSP Ken Nwosu, confirmed the incident,  adding: “ The information got to the Meiran Police Division a bit late and, when they arrived the robbers had fled. Investigations are ongoing while patrol and surveillance have been intensified.”

  • Iyaloja:  We’ll hunt down killers, sponsors – Police

    Iyaloja:  We’ll hunt down killers, sponsors – Police

    The ‎Ogun State Commissioner of Police, Abdulmajid Alli on Friday morning visited the Ijebu – Ode home of the  slain Iyaloja of Ijebuland, Alhaja Sadiat Eleweju, vowing that her killers would soon be arrested.

    Elewuju was hacked to death by six – man assassin who stormed her Itonrin-Molode-Sabo residence, Ijebu – Ode when her male househelps were away for the market.

    She was burried on Thursday according to the muslim rites.

    The new Police Commissioner, Alli, who resumed duty in the state on Thursday afternoon, said the Command would carry out thorough investigation ‎to unearth the identities and sponsors of killers of the market leader.

    According to him, the Command would mobilise men and materials to ensure successful investigation.

    ‎Alli who made his first official visit to Ijebuland, appealed to the deceased’s family to accept the incident with equanimity, stressing that manner of her death ‎was unacceptable.

    Alli said: “It is an unfortunate incident. I’m here on behalf of the Inspector General of Police and the entire police force to commiserate with the family and to assure them of the Nigeria Police Support on the incident.‎

    “This is to reassure the family and the entire people of the ‎state that our investigation and intelligence network has been spread across the state, very soon, we will make headway. Am assuring you that as soon as those behind the crime are caught, we will let you know.”

    He said he had received update on crime rate in Ijebuland and had set up teams to ensure adequate security of lives and property not only in the area but also in the entire state.

  • Police kill 3 Kidnappers in Rivers

    Police kill 3 Kidnappers in Rivers

    The Police have killed three suspected kidnappers in Port Harcourt the Rivers state capital.

    The command’s spokesman, Ahmed k. Mohammed in a statement in Port Harcourt Wednesday said the kidnappers were killed at about 9:30 pm Tuesday night while trying to abduct their victim at the gates of his residence in Port Harcourt.

    The police also said they arrested a member of three-man robbery gang in Port Harcourt, and recovered a vehicle and the sum of N2, 350 million among other items.

    Mohammed said the attempted kidnap victim; Richard Otu was safely rescued in the process.

    The PPRO said, “on July 6, 2015,  at about 9:30 pm, policemen responding to distress call pursued and engaged suspected kidnappers who abducted one Richard Otu in his Toyata Highlanders jeep while entering his house along East-West road, Port Harcourt.

    “Three of the suspected kidnappers got fatally injured during the encounter while the victim and his vehicle were safely rescued. Items recovered from the suspects include one AK 47 rifle, one magazine, five 7.62mm live ammunition, one locally made pistol and one dane gun.”